The Oura Ring 4 (released Oct 2024) and the Samsung Galaxy Ring (released July 2024) are two leading smart rings for 24/7 health tracking. Both are made of durable titanium and track sleep, heart rate, SpO₂, temperature, activity, and more. The Galaxy Ring is sold at a flat $399 (9 sizes, no subscription), while the Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 (sizes 4–15) but requires a $5.99/mo membership to unlock its full features. The table below highlights their key specs side by side, and the sections that follow break down each category in detail.
| Feature | Oura Ring 4 | Samsung Galaxy Ring |
|---|---|---|
| Release (2024) | October (preorders Oct 3; shipping Oct 15) | Launched July (preorders July 10; avail. July 24) |
| Price | $349–$499 (color/finish); $5.99/mo subscription required | $399 (all finishes); no subscription |
| Sizes | 4–15 (six colors); uses sizing kit (different from Gen3) | 5–13 (Titanium Black/Silver/Gold); sizing kit included |
| Material | Titanium (titanium-coated finish; inner medical-grade titanium) | Titanium (concave exterior design) |
| Dimensions | ~7.9 mm wide, 2.88 mm thick | ~7 mm wide, 2.6 mm thick |
| Weight | 3.3–5.2 g (size-dependent) | ~3 g (size 13)(≤3 g for smaller sizes) |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM (swim-proof) | 10 ATM, IP68 (up to 100 m) |
| Battery Life | Up to ~8 days (larger sizes); ~5–7 days typical; battery stores ~2 weeks of data | 6–7 days (sizes 12–13), ~5–6 days typical; ring=18–23.5 mAh, case=361 mAh |
| Charging | Wired charging cradle (USB-C); charges ~40% in 30 min (Oura has a proprietary charger) | Portable charging case (361 mAh battery); ring 40% in 30 min; case holds ~2 full charges |
| Sensors | Optical PPG (green+IR LEDs for HR/HRV), SpO₂ (red+IR LEDs during sleep), skin temperature sensor, 3-axis accelerometer | PPG (green LEDs for HR), SpO₂, skin temperature, accelerometer; no ECG or BIA sensors |
| Health Tracking | Sleep stages/score, 24/7 HR and HRV (readiness), SpO₂, skin temperature trends, detailed sleep analysis (including nods to sleep stages); women’s cycle insights (fertile window); “Daytime Stress” and “Resilience” metrics; automatic activity/workout detection (with VO₂max and cardio age). | Sleep stages/score (includes snore/respiration monitoring); 24/7 HR (with high/low alerts); SpO₂ and skin temperature (recorded overnight); stress tracking (via HRV); menstrual cycle prediction (via nocturnal skin temperature); auto-detect walking/running workouts (steps, calories, inactive alerts). |
| Activity/Fitness | Tracks steps, active time, calories; Auto workout detection (runs, swims, cycle, etc.); integrates with Strava/Apple Health. VO₂max, Cardio Age metrics. No built-in GPS. | Tracks sleep stages, awakenings, SpO₂, skin temperature, respiration, and snoring. Provides a nightly Sleep Score and Sleep Animal plus AI “Wellness Tips” for improvement. Generally accurate – better than Apple Watch on wake detection – but SpO₂ readings are often unreliable (reviewers saw falsely low values). |
| Sleep Tracking | Industry-leading sleep analysis (stages, deep/REM, awakenings) comparable to clinical devices; rich insights in app. Pre-launch studies show 30% more accurate SpO₂ and fewer HR data gaps than Gen3. Sleep data feeds the Readiness Score. | Tracks sleep stages, awakenings, SpO₂, skin temperature, respiration, snoring. Provides a nightly Sleep Score and Sleep Animal plus AI “Wellness Tips” for improvement. Generally accurate – better than Apple Watch on wake detection – but SpO₂ readings are often unreliable (reviewers saw falsely low values). |
| App & Ecosystem | Oura App (iOS & Android) consolidates all ring data. Integrates with Apple Health/Google Fit and third-party apps (Strava). Single app experience focused on ring. Redesigned UI (Today/Vitals/Health tabs). | Samsung Health app (Android only; requires Samsung Health and Wearable apps). Syncs data to Samsung Cloud. Offers Galaxy AI features (Energy Score, Wellness Tips) and interworks with Galaxy Watches. Exclusive features (e.g. double-pinch gestures) work only on Samsung phones/One UI 6.1.1+. No iOS support. |
| Subscription | Membership required ($5.99/mo or $69.99/yr) to access all data and insights (sleep, readiness, HRV analysis, women’s health, etc.). | No subscription. All features (including advanced AI wellness insights) are included with purchase. |
| Compatibility | Works with both Android and iPhone via Bluetooth Low Energy. | Requires an Android phone that can run Samsung Health (ideally Samsung devices for full feature support). |
| Unique Features | Tracks steps, active minutes, and calories. Auto-detects only walking/running (manual start for other workouts in Samsung Health). No GPS on ring (can use phone for distance). | Galaxy AI Energy Score (0–100 readiness); Sleep coaching (“sleep animal”) and snore detection. Double-pinch gesture controls (camera shutter, alarm snooze). “Find My Ring” with LED indicator. Unique concave design and included charging case extends usage to ~16 days. No extra fees, seamless Samsung ecosystem integration. |
Table of Contents
1. Health Tracking
Sleep Monitoring: Both rings provide multi-stage sleep tracking and a nightly sleep score. The Oura Ring 4 is often cited as best-in-class for sleep; reviews note its staging and awakenings match professional devices. Oura’s new sensor platform promises 30% fewer gaps and 120% better SpO₂ signal vs. Gen3. The Galaxy Ring also logs sleep stages, SpO₂, skin temperature, respiration, and snoring, and assigns an AI-powered Sleep Score and “sleep animal” for coaching. Early tests found the Galaxy Ring’s sleep timing very accurate (even spotting brief wake-ups that a watch missed).
Heart Rate & HRV: Both rings measure 24/7 heart rate with optical sensors. Oura Ring 4 has dual green/infrared LEDs to capture continuous HR and HRV (used in its Readiness Score and “Daytime Stress” metric). Independent studies found Oura’s heart-rate and HRV (RMSSD) measurements to be highly accurate vs. ECG during sleep. Samsung’s ring uses PPG for HR as well, and can alert you to unusually high or low resting HR via Samsung Health. However, unlike some Galaxy Watches, the ring lacks ECG and body-composition sensors. Both systems use HRV-based stress tracking: Oura explicitly features a “Daytime Stress” overlay, while Samsung infers stress via HRV in Wellness Tips and Energy Score.
Body Temperature: Both rings monitor skin temperature overnight. Oura’s built-in digital thermometer tracks average body temperature deviations over time. Samsung’s ring also logs skin temperature during sleep (used for cycle prediction and sleep analysis). Notably, Samsung’s cycle tracking relies on nightly temperature trends; Oura has a dedicated “Cycle Insights” feature with fertile-window predictions.
SpO₂ (Blood Oxygen): The Oura Ring 4 uses dedicated red/infrared sensors to measure blood oxygen while you sleep. Oura reports a ~30% jump in SpO₂ accuracy over Gen3 in testing. Samsung’s ring also measures SpO₂ during sleep, but reviewers found its readings often implausibly low (e.g. mid-80s%), suggesting it’s not reliable for clinical-level accuracy. Neither device’s ring can currently detect sleep apnea events (Oura beyond SpO₂ sees a “Breathing Disturbance Index” but not formal apnea; Samsung also omits this).
Stress & Wellbeing: Oura provides a “Readiness Score” based on sleep, HRV, and other metrics, plus a “Resilience” score and context-aware Daytime Stress chart. It also tracks guided breathing and offers meditation content in-app. Samsung’s ring offers an “Energy Score” (akin to a wellness or recovery score) derived from sleep, activity, and HR, plus “Wellness Tips” (AI-generated daily advice). Galaxy Ring users can also log stress/emotions in Samsung Health, but there’s no specific “Stress Score” indicator on the ring itself.
Cycle Tracking: Both rings support menstrual cycle insights. Oura’s Cycle Insights automatically detects cycle phases from temperature and HRV patterns, now including a “fertile window” feature. Samsung’s ring tracks sleep-time skin temperature to predict menstrual periods and fertility windows via Samsung Health (partnered with Natural Cycles). (Samsung cautions it’s not a contraceptive tool and requires regular cycles or temperature shifts.)
Activity Tracking: Oura and Samsung rings both count steps, movement, and calories. Oura Ring 4 can auto-detect multiple workout types (running, walking, cycling, swimming, etc.) and overlay heart-rate zones on them. It also estimates VO₂ max (“Cardio Capacity”) and “Cardiovascular Age” if used for ~2 weeks. Samsung’s ring only auto-detects walking and running; other workouts must be manually started in Samsung Health. In practice, reviewers found Samsung’s run tracking quite inaccurate without a phone’s GPS (e.g. under-reporting distance and HR). Samsung compensates by allowing a paired phone or watch to handle GPS/tracking. Both rings send “move” alerts (inactive alerts) through their apps.
2. Battery Life and Charging
The Oura Ring 4 claims up to 8 days of battery life (size-dependent), roughly 5–7 days in typical use. (Larger rings hold more charge.) In reviewer tests, a size-10 Oura lasted ~5.5 days with frequent workouts. Charging is via a small wired cradle (USB-C). The Oura Ring 4 recharges similarly fast to Gen3 (about 20–30 min to ~40%, and a few hours to 100%).
The Samsung Galaxy Ring provides roughly 6–7 days per charge on average (Samsung claims 7 days for sizes 12–13). In testing, one reviewer saw ~6 days when paired with a Galaxy Watch (sharing load); without a watch, ~5 days is realistic. Charging is done through a special clamshell case with its own 361 mAh battery. This case holds about 1.5× the ring’s charge and can recharge the ring on the go (USB-C or wireless). A full ring recharges ~40% in 30 minutes; the case added roughly two full charges in testing. The case also closes to protect the ring and shows the charge level by LED. In summary, Samsung’s ring + case can stay powered for nearly 2–3 weeks between plug-ins (compared to about 1 week for the ring alone).
3. Design and Comfort
Both rings use titanium for a lightweight yet durable build. The Oura Ring 4 has a more traditional “wedding ring” profile (round, flat exterior). Its newest sensors are recessed flat on the interior, making it very smooth against the skin. It comes in six finishes: Black (DLC-coated), Silver, Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and a gray “Stealth”. Sizing goes from 4 to 15 (no half-sizes), and Oura provides a white-paper sizer kit to find the right fit.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring has a concave (indented) exterior design intended to minimize surface scratches. It comes in three colors: matte Titanium Black, matte Titanium Silver, and glossy Titanium Gold. The ring is very slim (2.6 mm thick) and light (≈3 g for size 9–13), making it nearly imperceptible to wear. Oura 4 is slightly thicker (2.88 mm) and heavier (3.3–5.2 g, depending on size). Both rings are extremely comfortable for 24/7 wear; reviewers note the Galaxy Ring “felt thinner” and was almost unnoticeable, while the Oura’s flat interior sensors and smooth edges improve overnight comfort.
Sizes: Oura: 4–15; Samsung: 5–13. Both include sizing kits with orders. The Galaxy Ring sizing system is unique (Samsung uses 9 finger sizes that don’t match traditional ring numbers). Both companies stress a good fit for accurate readings.
Waterproofing: Both devices are rated to 10 ATM (~100 m depth), so showering, swimming, and snorkeling are fine. Neither should be worn in high-speed water sports (per manufacturer guidance).
4. App Ecosystem, Integrations, and Compatibility
The Oura Ring 4 works with its own Oura mobile app (iOS and Android). Data syncs via Bluetooth Low Energy. The app was redesigned with three tabs (Today, Vitals, Health) for easy navigation. It provides detailed charts, trends, and actionable insights on sleep, readiness, HRV, temperature, etc. Oura integrates with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Strava, so it can pull in workout data from other devices. (For example, Oura’s Readiness uses input from exercise or GPS data you might log on a watch or phone.)
The Samsung Galaxy Ring uses the Samsung Health app (and Samsung Wearable app for initial setup). It requires an Android phone (Samsung Health runs on most Androids, but some features like gestures need a Samsung phone on One UI 6.1.1+). There is no official iOS support. All ring data (sleep, steps, HR, etc.) is viewed in Samsung Health. Samsung’s platform adds AI-driven features: the Energy Score (daily readiness level) and Wellness Tips (personalized coaching). These run on a phone. Galaxy Ring can also integrate with Galaxy Watches: e.g., pairing it with a Galaxy Watch allows workload sharing and ~30% longer total battery life. Unique integrations include pinch gestures to trigger the phone camera or alarms, and a “Find My Ring” feature (LED locator light) in Samsung’s ecosystem.
In summary, Oura’s app is more self-contained and platform-agnostic (works with any phone and third-party apps). Samsung’s app is closer to Android/Samsung (but offers deeper Galaxy ecosystem tools like smartphone remote control). Both provide comprehensive data visualization.
5. Subscription Models and Services
A major difference is subscription. Oura Ring 4 requires an active Oura Membership ($5.99/month or $69.99/year) to unlock its advanced features. Without it, the ring will sync raw data (heart rate, temperature, etc.), but you lose most insights (sleep staging, readiness scores, cycle tracking, etc.). The membership also grants access to Oura’s Wellness Lab, advanced analyses, guided content, and historical trends. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, by contrast, has no subscription; all health metrics, scores, and coaching remain free as part of Samsung Health.
(For context, this is similar to other wearables: Oura is like Whoop or Fitbit Premium, where the hardware is one-time and the service is recurring. Samsung’s model is like an Apple Watch—purchase only.)
6. Accuracy and Reliability of Sensors
Oura Ring 4: Oura emphasizes accuracy and “Smart Sensing” that adapts to your unique finger. Independent tests have shown very good performance: e.g. nocturnal heart rate and HRV (RMSSD) from Oura closely matched ECG measurements. Oura claims the Gen4’s new sensors yield 120% better SpO₂ signal and 30% more accurate average SpO₂ than Gen3. Battery tests indicate far fewer data dropouts in the new ring. Reviewer experience confirms Oura’s sleep and HR data are “as good as it gets” for a ring. Oura’s stated focus is on rigorous validation, and it has published research to back it.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Early reviews are mixed on accuracy. Samsung’s sleep-tracking has been praised; one tester found its sleep-wake detection better than an Apple Watch. Heart rate monitoring during rest seems solid (Samsung can even alert on high/low HR). However, activity tracking is notably less reliable: without GPS, run distances and average heart rates were under-reported (Samsung expects you to carry a phone or watch for accuracy). Critically, several users reported that the Galaxy Ring’s SpO₂ sensor is unreliable – for instance, it occasionally read 75% during sleep, which was clearly false. Until software updates improve this, Samsung’s SpO₂ data should be taken skeptically. Also, unlike some watches, the ring doesn’t (yet) offer FDA-cleared features like ECG or blood pressure.
In summary, Oura 4 has a strong track record (and company data) for accuracy in sleep and vital-sign monitoring. Samsung’s ring seems to do well for passive metrics (sleep, resting HR), but its workout tracking and SpO₂ may be error-prone. Over time, Samsung can refine algorithms via app updates, but as of mid-2025 Oura is generally considered more reliable for pure health data.
7. Price and Availability
- Pricing: Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 (and can go up to $499 for premium finishes). Remember to add the membership fee. The Galaxy Ring is $399 flat, with no extra fees. Therefore, Samsung’s upfront cost is higher but overall cheaper long-term (since no subscription).
- Availability: Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in the US on July 24, 2024 (initially sold at Samsung.com, AT&T, Best Buy, etc.). Oura Ring 4 began shipping mid-October 2024. Both are widely available online; Oura also sells on Amazon and through health retailers. Oura ships globally (available in many countries), whereas Samsung’s ring rollout was more limited initially (US and some other markets with Galaxy phones).
- Sizing kits: Both companies provide free sizing kits. Oura’s uses white plastic rings (Gen 4 uses new sizing); Samsung provides a set of dummy rings.
- Returns/Warranty: Standard return windows apply (30 days for Oura, typically 15 days for Samsung USA). Both offer a limited warranty covering defects.
- Included extras: The Galaxy Ring package includes the charging case and adapters. Oura’s box includes the ring and wired charger (no case battery).
8. Unique Features and Differentiators
- Oura Ring 4: Renowned for its comprehensive health analytics (e.g. Readiness Score, sleep staging, women’s health insights) and cross-platform support (iOS/Android). The new Smart Sensing platform and titanium design make it comfortable and precise. Unique metrics include “Body Age” (cardiovascular age) and VO₂ max estimates. Oura’s membership ecosystem offers guided content (meditations, workouts) and long-term trends. As one reviewer put it, Oura is for “data nerds” who want the deepest metrics. Because it’s app-centric, the ring has no on-device controls or gestures.
- Samsung Galaxy Ring: Samsung’s first smart ring emphasizes ecosystem and convenience. Its standout features include: AI Health Hub (Energy Score & Wellness Tips) and double-pinch gestures to control your phone (e.g. take pictures, snooze alarms). The “Find My Ring” function (via Samsung Find) uses the ring’s LED to help locate a lost ring. The inclusion of a rechargeable charging case is unique among rings and greatly extends usage. It also supports snore detection and integrates tightly with Galaxy Watches (for shared tracking and battery life extension). Importantly, it requires no subscription, which may appeal to budget-conscious users.
Both rings are made for 24/7 wear and track similar core metrics, but Oura bets on depth and cross-platform compatibility, while Samsung leans on convenience and integration with its Galaxy lineup. Your choice may hinge on whether you value the richest wellness insights (Oura) or seamless Galaxy features and a one-time cost (Samsung).